Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is a specialised thermal machining process capable of accurately machining parts with varying hardness or complex shapes, which have sharp edges that are very difficult to be machined by the main stream machining processes. This practical technology of the WEDM process is based on the conventional EDM sparking phenomenon utilising the widely accepted non-contact technique of material removal. Since the introduction of the process, WEDM has evolved from a simple means of making tools and dies to the best alternative of producing micro-scale parts with the highest degree of dimensional accuracy and surface finish quality. Over the years, the WEDM process has remained as a competitive and economical machining option fulfilling the demanding machining requirements imposed by the short product development cycles and the growing cost pressures. However, the risk of wire breakage and bending has undermined the full potential of the process drastically reducing the efficiency and accuracy of the WEDM operation. A significant amount of research has explored the different methodologies of achieving the ultimate WEDM goals of optimising the numerous process parameters analytically with the total elimination of the wire breakages thereby also improving the overall machining reliability. This paper reviews the vast array of research work carried out from the spin-off from the EDM process to the development of the WEDM. It reports on the WEDM research involving the optimisation of the process parameters surveying the influence of the various factors affecting the machining performance and productivity. The paper also highlights the adaptive monitoring and control of the process investigating the feasibility of the different control strategies of obtaining the optimal machining conditions. A wide range of WEDM industrial applications are reported together with the development of the hybrid machining processes. The final part of the paper discusses these developments and outlines the possible trends for future WEDM research.

State of the art in wire electrical discharge machining (wedm)

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A review of optimization techniques in metal cutting processes

Wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) is extensively used in machining of conductive materials when precision is of prime importance. Rough cutting operation in WEDM is treated as a challenging one because improvement of more than one machining performance measures viz. metal removal rate (MRR), surface finish (SF) and cutting width (kerf) are sought to obtain a precision work. Using Taguchi’s parameter design, significant machining parameters affecting the performance measures are identified as discharge current, pulse duration, pulse frequency, wire speed, wire tension, and dielectric flow. It has been observed that a combination of factors for optimization of each performance measure is different. In this study, the relationship between control factors and responses like MRR, SF and kerf are established by means of nonlinear regression analysis, resulting in a valid mathematical model. Finally, genetic algorithm, a popular evolutionary approach, is employed to optimize the wire electrical discharge machining process with multiple objectives. The study demonstrates that the WEDM process parameters can be adjusted to achieve better metal removal rate, surface finish and cutting width simultaneously.

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Optimization of wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) process parameters using Taguchi method

The theory of grey systems is a new technique for performing prediction, relational analysis and decision making in many areas. In this paper, the use of grey relational analysis for optimising the drilling process parameters for the work piece surface roughness and the burr height is introduced. Various drilling parameters, such as feed rate, cutting speed, drill and point angles of drill were considered. An orthogonal array was used for the experimental design. Optimal machining parameters were determined by the grey relational grade obtained from the grey relational analysis for multi-performance characteristics (the surface roughness and the burr height). Experimental results have shown that the surface roughness and the burr height in the drilling process can be improved effectively through the new approach .

Nihat Tosun

Papers

Determination of optimum parameters for multi-performance characteristics in drilling by using grey relational analysis

A study on kerf and material removal rate in wire electrical discharge machining based on Taguchi method

Investigation of the wear behaviour of a glass-fibre-reinforced composite and plain polyester resin

Effect of load and speed on the wear behaviour of woven glass fabrics and aramid fibre-reinforced composites

A study of tool life in hot machining using artificial neural networks and regression analysis method